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Situated in the Northern boundary of the State, Mayurbhanj has the distinction of being the largest district of the State, both in terms of area and area under forest.
History
Situated in the Northern boundary of the State, Mayurbhanj has the distinction of being the largest district of the State, both in terms of area and area under forest. Once a prominent kingdom of India, Mayurbhanj has still kept its importance through a number of tourist attractions. It was on 1st January 1949, Mayurbhanj got amalgamated with Odisha and was recognized as a district. Apart from this, Mayurbhanj has also earned the distinction of being administered by two medieval ruling families named the “Mayurs” and the “Bhanjas”.
Geographical Location
Mayurbhanj is a landlocked district covering a geographical area of 10,418 sq.km. The district lies between 21°16′ and 22°34′ North latitude and 85°40′ and 87°11′ East longitudes. Mayurbhanj is a landlocked district with a total geographical area of 10418 Sq.km. and is situated in the Northern boundary of the state, with the district headquarters at Baripada. The district is bounded in the North-East by Medinipur district of West Bengal, Singhbhum district of Jharkhand in the North-west, Baleshwar district in the South-East, and by Kendujhar in the South-West. More than 39 % of the total geographical area (4049 Sq.Km.) is covered with forest and hills.
Mayurbhanj was an important kingdom of Odisha even after independence. Mayurbhanj is a heavenly place covered with the river Budhabalanga, the waterfall Barehipani, and the mountain Meghasana. It is also recognized for its irrigation and power project named Sunei. Mayurbhanj district is famous for horn works, stone & clay works, Tussar silk, jute mills, and spinning mills.
How to reach there?
Nearest airports are Kolkata - 190 km and Bhubaneswar - 210 km. There was a narrow-gauge railway line from Rupsa (Balasore district) to Baripada. But recently, a broad-gauge railway line is under construction, which will be functional soon. Balasore station is the nearest railway station to Mayurbhanj, which is at a distance of 0.9 km. The NH-5 passes through the district and connects it with Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. Regular bus services are also available from Baripada and Keonjhar. Frequent trekker services are available too.